Handball

On Saturday the 25th my friend Morena invited me to watch her team play Handball. I had never seen a whole game played before. (Just short clips of games on TV) I found the game really exciting to watch. Morena's team (the orange team) won 33 to 23.


Handball is a very poplular game here in Croatia. In fact the Men's World Handball Championships are being held in Varaždin in 2009.


I relate Handball with Soccer and Basketball; it's like a combination of both.


Here are some pictures from the game as well as information on Handball:


Handball is a team sport composed of two teams, each with six players and a goalkeeper. Two referees watch over the game. The object of the game is to pass and bounce the ball and throw it into the opposing teams' goal. After 30 minutes the team with the most goals wins.


It is a fast paced game with lots of body contact as the defenders try to stop the attackers from reaching the goal. You are only allowed to make contact if you (the defender) is completely in front of the offensive player. (Contact from the side of back is considered dangerous and if it occurs penalties usually follow) If a defender successfully stops an attacking player, the play is stopped, then restated by the attacking team from the spot the play had been stopped. In Handball you can commit unlimited number of faults as they are considered a good defence that disrupts the attacking teams' rhythm.



The players can touch the ball with any part of their bodies above the knee. When a player is in possession of the ball they may stand stationary for only three seconds and may only take three steps. Once these are used they must shoot, pass or dribble the ball. If you take more then three steps you are called for travelling and the ball is turned over to the other team. Players can dribble as many times as they like but passing is faster and preferred. After dribbling, the player can have three more stationary seconds or three steps. The ball must be passed or shot because if the player continues to hold the ball or dribble the player will be called for double dribbling.


The goalkeeper can move freely within the goal perimeter but they can't cross the goal perimeter line while carrying or dribbling the ball. While in the goal zone the goalkeeper can touch the ball with any part of their body, including his or her feet.


The game starts with a throw off at the center of the court. The thrower must touch the middle line with one foot while the rest of the team is on their side of the court. The defending players must keep at least 3 meters away from the thrower.


Handball has throw-ins, (if the ball full crosses the side line or touches the ceiling) goalkeeper-throws, and free-throws, (like a free kick in soccer) and a 7-meter throw.


Referees can give a warning yellow card for an illegal action but if the contact was particularly dangerous the referee can forgo the warning for an immediate two minute suspension. A player can only get two warnings before receiving a two minute suspension. One player is only permitted three 2 minute suspensions before getting a red card. Red cards can be given out directly for particularly rough penalties.


Substitutions occur at the half and the play isn't stopped to do so. It can happen as many times as you want during the game.